The proof is in the writing- The Malaysian Insider
May 29, 2011 — Consider the following advertising headlines, if you will.
“Does the car you’re considering have all the right criteria?”
“All it takes is just save RM500.”
“Now even more fresh prices lowered for the long term.”
“Others charge you, we save you.”
Advertising in the newspapers is a very expensive exercise. This is why there are professional advertising agencies that charge a lot of money from companies to help ensure that the right messages are communicated to the right people in a way that helps creates preference for one product over another.
What then can we make of advertising headlines such as the ones above; all taken from last week’s newspapers for Proton Persona, Maybank, Tesco and Firefly respectively? Carelessness, disrespect for the comprehension ability of the reader, or sheer ignorance of the craft of copywriting?
Possibly all of these, but at a more fundamental level, it points to the quality of an educational system that is already impacting the world of business negatively.
Communication is increasingly a business of nuance, given the magnitude of competition. In a world where everything is modern, innovative, stylish and value for money, the choice of words is critical to getting the right message across.
The differences between products are increasingly smaller, therefore the large role of communication in influencing consumer choice.
But if even simple headlines can be mangled so drastically to the point that the meaning of the ad is misunderstood, or the brand in question comes to be seen negatively, then the financial consequences for the affected companies can be dire.
A lot has been said and written on the abolition of PPSMI, but most of it has focused on the impact a lack of knowledge of English has on future employment in a globalised economy. But if the above examples are any indicator, then the problem is already here.
On the one hand there is a push to become a developed country by 2020, attract the best local and foreign talent and transition to a knowledge-based service economy, and on the other there is a growing inability to deliver to one of the basics of successful business today, i.e. communication.
In the examples quoted above, it is not just the respective advertising agencies which slipped up, but also the clients (including multinationals) who approved the ads. Clearly then the malaise extends across both sides of the business divide.
Because there is a dearth of talent proficient in English, it becomes a seller’s market. If the costs of recruiting this talent become unreasonable, how are these industries expected to survive?
According to Tony Savarimuthu, President of the Accredited Advertising Agents of Malaysia (4A’s), “If we have a net outflow of talent because remuneration structures aren’t good enough or intellectual capital is not respected, the creative service industry is not going to be sustainable in the long run. We’re losing people to Singapore and China.”
Equally importantly, the impact on foreign investors looking to participate in the local market is likely to be profound if they cannot find the right employees that can exercise proper control over their global intellectual property, which is their brand.
For global players, it is imperative that communication is delivered at a certain standard across the world, given the speed at which bad news travels in the digital age.
For Malaysian brands with regional or global ambitions too, lack of proficiency in English can have disastrous implications on their ability to compete. Foreign experts can be hired, but if the Malaysian decision makers are unable to comprehend the nuances of what is being proposed and take informed decisions, the eventual results may not be pleasant.
This is the situation currently with PPSMI and after its abolition it can only get drastically worse in the years to come. The debate should not be whether to teach English or not, but whether the 300 English teachers being imported are enough?
Or we can continue the decline towards becoming the laughing stock of the global business community with headline gems like this one for the A Famosa resort “Splash out your tense in the water, let go your pressure in the wind and sun.”
“Does the car you’re considering have all the right criteria?”
“All it takes is just save RM500.”
“Now even more fresh prices lowered for the long term.”
“Others charge you, we save you.”
Advertising in the newspapers is a very expensive exercise. This is why there are professional advertising agencies that charge a lot of money from companies to help ensure that the right messages are communicated to the right people in a way that helps creates preference for one product over another.
What then can we make of advertising headlines such as the ones above; all taken from last week’s newspapers for Proton Persona, Maybank, Tesco and Firefly respectively? Carelessness, disrespect for the comprehension ability of the reader, or sheer ignorance of the craft of copywriting?
Possibly all of these, but at a more fundamental level, it points to the quality of an educational system that is already impacting the world of business negatively.
Communication is increasingly a business of nuance, given the magnitude of competition. In a world where everything is modern, innovative, stylish and value for money, the choice of words is critical to getting the right message across.
The differences between products are increasingly smaller, therefore the large role of communication in influencing consumer choice.
But if even simple headlines can be mangled so drastically to the point that the meaning of the ad is misunderstood, or the brand in question comes to be seen negatively, then the financial consequences for the affected companies can be dire.
A lot has been said and written on the abolition of PPSMI, but most of it has focused on the impact a lack of knowledge of English has on future employment in a globalised economy. But if the above examples are any indicator, then the problem is already here.
On the one hand there is a push to become a developed country by 2020, attract the best local and foreign talent and transition to a knowledge-based service economy, and on the other there is a growing inability to deliver to one of the basics of successful business today, i.e. communication.
In the examples quoted above, it is not just the respective advertising agencies which slipped up, but also the clients (including multinationals) who approved the ads. Clearly then the malaise extends across both sides of the business divide.
Because there is a dearth of talent proficient in English, it becomes a seller’s market. If the costs of recruiting this talent become unreasonable, how are these industries expected to survive?
According to Tony Savarimuthu, President of the Accredited Advertising Agents of Malaysia (4A’s), “If we have a net outflow of talent because remuneration structures aren’t good enough or intellectual capital is not respected, the creative service industry is not going to be sustainable in the long run. We’re losing people to Singapore and China.”
Equally importantly, the impact on foreign investors looking to participate in the local market is likely to be profound if they cannot find the right employees that can exercise proper control over their global intellectual property, which is their brand.
For global players, it is imperative that communication is delivered at a certain standard across the world, given the speed at which bad news travels in the digital age.
For Malaysian brands with regional or global ambitions too, lack of proficiency in English can have disastrous implications on their ability to compete. Foreign experts can be hired, but if the Malaysian decision makers are unable to comprehend the nuances of what is being proposed and take informed decisions, the eventual results may not be pleasant.
This is the situation currently with PPSMI and after its abolition it can only get drastically worse in the years to come. The debate should not be whether to teach English or not, but whether the 300 English teachers being imported are enough?
Or we can continue the decline towards becoming the laughing stock of the global business community with headline gems like this one for the A Famosa resort “Splash out your tense in the water, let go your pressure in the wind and sun.”
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